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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22591207">Walking Nightmare</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaseDawg12/pseuds/ChaseDawg12'>ChaseDawg12</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DorkSeverus04/pseuds/DorkSeverus04'>DorkSeverus04</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaymerkree/pseuds/gaymerkree'>gaymerkree</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxwhiterose/pseuds/xxwhiterose'>xxwhiterose</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhana/pseuds/Zhana'>Zhana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The White Rose Oneshot Anthology [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Collab, Collaboration, F/F, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Nightmares, Psychological Trauma, Suicide Attempt, The ending is ok I promise, This had way too much angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:46:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22591207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaseDawg12/pseuds/ChaseDawg12, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DorkSeverus04/pseuds/DorkSeverus04, https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaymerkree/pseuds/gaymerkree, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxwhiterose/pseuds/xxwhiterose, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhana/pseuds/Zhana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby and Weiss are assigned to fight some new, unknown form of Grimm on the outskirts of Vacuo. Ruby, however, catches the cold, so Yang has Blake stay and watch Ruby while her and Weiss go out.</p><p>What they find, however, are Grimm that can cut deeper than physically...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Weiss Schnee &amp; Yang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The White Rose Oneshot Anthology [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>88</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Walking Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi so this is another collaboration from the White Rose Discord. Same people from the last one + Sev (who had the story idea so it was only right he was included). </p><p>If psych horror or angst is your thing, have fun.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The mission was simple: </span>
  <em>
    <span>clear out the grimm, report back to town, go home to Ruby</span>
  </em>
  <span>. No one said anything about new transforming Grimm. When they had stumbled upon the small nest on the outskirts of a rather large city in Vacuo, Weiss and Yang had been delighted; they could finish quickly, and head back to their sickly leader. However when the first of the slimy black puddles oozed and shifted into Winter, for Weiss then Raven for Yang, they knew it wasn't going to be very easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If they stayed impassive to the figure that emerged from the ooze the fight was typically not so bad. They didn't appear to have the exact same skill level, but boy could they take a hit. Finally knocking the Winter look alike back and into black dust Weiss shot Yang a pensive look, the blonde brawler wasn't having a lot of trouble, per say, but Weiss could tell the visage of her mother had irked her. With the Raven look-alike defeated they share a victorious smile before venturing further into the small cave. The next set of clones were closer to home, a tired looking TaiYang and Willow. Yang shifts beside Weiss and beckons to the Schnee heiress' mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll take mommy dearest if you take good ole dad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss nods behind her, moving forward fast. This fight lasts much shorter, with Willow falling quickly and TaiYang soon after. They move deeper into the cave, and Yang takes a shuttered breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who do you think they'll be next?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both know the answer, the one person they both carried about above all, but could they do it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know as well as I do the possibilities." Yang nods, readjusting her gauntlets. "Can you do it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss scoffs, "Can I."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah Weiss, can you? Can you look Ruby in the eye and kill her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beside her Weiss stiffens, "These monsters aren't Ruby... and if we want to see the real one again, we'll have to fight through the pain of fighting the fake one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You sound confident enough Weiss, I'll let you take the first shot then and then I'll come from behin-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yang?"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh god no....</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blake??"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yang, you need to come back, its urgent. Please.... help me Yang"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yang you </span>
  <em>
    <span>KNOW</span>
  </em>
  <span> this isn't real. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>HAVE</span>
  </em>
  <span> to resist. You can do this. I'll go fight what we both know is Ruby alone. Join me when you're done!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang took a deep breath and nodded. She knew what had to be done. Weiss marched onwards.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ruuuby</span>
  </em>
  <span>, come out come out wherever you are."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Weiss? Weiss is that you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. It's me. Now come out so I can fight you so I can go back and see the real y-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The real me? You mean the one you left home with </span>
  <em>
    <span>Blake</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" the Ruby grimm questioned as she emerged from the shadows. She looked extremely ill. There was no way the real Ruby was that... no... the doctor reassured that it was just a cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What does-" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why did you leave me for a mission Weiss? I was sick and you just grabbed Yang and ran off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ruby, no, Yang told me-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aren't you my best friend Weiss? You couldn't even help me when I was sick... and then you don't even let my sister stay. You leave me with </span>
  <em>
    <span>BLAKE</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"This isn't real. This isn't real."</span>
  </em>
  <span> Weiss kept saying this over and over in her head to reassure herself this wasn't Ruby talking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And to think, I was starting to fall in love with you..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This isn't real. This is NOT real." She was saying it out loud now. No matter. Her heart was crushing with every passing word from this nightmare, tears flowing like waterfalls.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This can't be happening.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss closed her eyes, her breathing beginning to grow quick and laboured. Myrtenaster felt like a dead weight in her hands, growing heavier at every second. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not real, this was not real-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Weiss?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice was so close now, close enough for the walls to no longer echo her voice. Slowly, she opened her eyes again, her vision blurry and tainted from the salty liquid that poured from them. She regretted doing so immediately, her eyes falling on Ruby's small body, barely three feet away. Although it was still cast in shadow, Weiss couldn't mistake her. Her breath hitched in her throat again, her knees locking as her body forbid her from moving, allowing the butterflies in her stomach to break free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"R.. Ruby.. You're not real. You're- you're not-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby's body was frail, almost starved looking. Her cheek were sunken and thin,   accompanied by dark rings around her dead eyes that seemed to turn her once shining eyes into nothing but black holes. Her hair was a matted mess, sticking out in every which way. Weiss' grip faltered on the metal hilt of her rapier, suddenly unsure if she could kill this illusion or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You left me to die Weiss..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But- but the doctors said you only had a mere cold!-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The doctors were wrong. You left me alone with Blake to die."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss hadn't noticed, but the Grimm had taken several steps closer towards the trembling Schnee. Ruby lifted her hand, resting it against the shaking blade of Myrtenaster. She didn't break eye contact with the crying woman, her voice still soft but broken. Weiss stared down at the blade as the illusion began to talk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't let me be alone anymore, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I miss you Weiss. If you truly loved me, you would join me in death, right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Weiss wrenched her eyes shut, her scream echoing through the caves, using the feel of the hand on Myrtenaster to guide the blade as she drove it forward. She fell onto the Grimm -onto Ruby- tackling it -her- to the ground, a gargled gasp escaping from below her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kept her eyes shut through the struggling beneath her, knuckles white as she gripped it, keeping the blade driven down. Slowly, she felt the struggling begin to weaken, subside. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It would be over soon...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Weiss..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That weak little whimper. In </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> voice. Weiss' eyes snapped open with a soft gasp. She wished she hadn't. Wished she'd been stronger. Below her, she saw the vision of Ruby, Myrtenaster stabbed through her chest, blood leaking from her mouth, tears streaming from dulling metal eyes looking up at her. It was a nightmare, forever burned into her mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Barely a moment later, "Ruby" dissipated into black mist, leaving Weiss hunched over her sword, stabbed into the ground. Her eyes were still wide, staring down where Ruby had been moments before. Where she'd killed her. Her shoulders began to shake, the feeling of her heart breaking in her chest, that emotion, despair, soaking her next scream that echoed through the caves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was how Yang found her, minutes later. Her own eyes red and puffy, trails of tears yet lingering on her cheeks as she looked upon her friend, clutching her weapon, sobbing and shaking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Damn this cave. Damn these Grimm. Damn this mission. Damn it. Damn it ALL</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Weiss yelled as she threw Myrtenaster against the cave wall as she collapsed to the floor. She could do nothing to stop the mass flow of tears from her eyes. But she had to get up, she had to see the real Ruby. She had to know everything was ok.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She struggled to stand up, the tears draining her energy, but eventually she managed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thank god *sniff* this nightmare is over, huh Yang?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y-yeah Weiss..... yeah......"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The vision of Blake hurt you bad too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah but I fought through it, and I'll-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There before them were two mirrors blocking them from their exit. </span>
  <em>
    <span>These things could be inanimate objects too? But- but what good would that do anyways?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"You-you go investigate Weiss."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sadly obliged. Slowly, the more she walked towards the mirror, the more she was again horrified. There before her was her reflection, but her dress was </span>
  <em>
    <span>COVERED</span>
  </em>
  <span> in blood stains. Ruby's blood... Ruby's blood... she knew it was.... no... it was just a Grimm. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just a Grimm</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then, the mirror began fogging up on its own. The words "Look On The Back" were written by what felt like a ghost as it suddenly appeared.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Do I want to?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She asked herself several times thinking of all the possibilities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reluctantly, she did. Why did she? She never would figure it out, and she would never forgive herself…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>....it was a folded up newspaper taped onto the back.... </span>
  <em>
    <span>dated 3 days from now</span>
  </em>
  <span>....</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss took the deepest of breaths before unfolding it....</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>OBITUARIES: Ruby Rose. Cause of death: murder by traitor Wei-</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She couldn't take it anymore. She snapped. She screamed unholy sounds as she smashed Myrtenaster through her mirror and then the other one so Yang would face no such fate as she had to bear... and then she kept swinging. Kept screaming. Until she had no energy left and she just collapsed, curled up into a ball and cried her eyes out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hadn't done this since she was a kid... she hadn't needed to.... but here she was....</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Weiss... Weiss we can go now..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang tentatively stepped towards where Weiss lay on the ground, kneeling to reach out to her. She flinched back when Weiss suddenly rolled, rising up to level Myrtenaster's blade at her throat. Wide, teary eyes looked at her in a panic, breathing heavily, waiting for an attack to come. The surprise in Yang's own eyes quickly faded, a hand reaching up to gently, carefully direct the blade away from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Weiss... it's over... they're gone..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gradually, Weiss' breathing steadied. She lowered Myrtenaster, shifting to pick herself up off the ground, "...let's go."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No further illusions nor shapeshifters appeared before them as they fled from the nightmarish cave, both in a hurry to leave it behind. Silence dominated their journey back, their report in brief and curt, worryingly so. The return home felt torturously long, but finally they both crossed that threshold...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Weiss!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She froze instantly. The cry held so much more energy, adoration, happiness, than the last time she'd heard it. That memory flashed through her mind, numbing her, until she felt two strong arms fling themselves around her, a warm body pressing into her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Ruby called in her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yang?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss glanced to her side, able to see the worry on Blake's features as Yang slowly staggered up to her, pulling her into a desperate hug, quietly sobbing into her shoulder. Blake looked confused and worried, but for the moment, she simply wrapped her arms around Yang in kind, comfortingly petting her back. Weiss mimicked her, arms slowly coming up to return Ruby's embrace. Ruby looked down at her, concern on her face as on Blake's, as Weiss lowered her head, sobbing into her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Weiss...?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm sorry.</span>
  </em>
  <span>.." she sobbed, over and over again, louder and more desperately with each.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She cried in her partner's arms until she exhausted herself, Ruby carrying her unconscious form to bed. Hours later, she sprang awake with a scream, pale skin soaked in cold sweat, curling in on herself, chanting "I'm sorry," all over again. It was the first of many nights tormented by nightmares, by memories of a crime she wished she had never witnessed...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least when she awoke, Ruby was there, alive. Her only comfort found in her arms…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Weiss. Weiss. It's ok. It's all a dream." Ruby cooed into Weiss' ear, holding her close within her arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss just whimpered as she held onto Ruby, whispering apologies to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shhh... its it's ok." Ruby whispered back. Then there was a sharp pain. Weiss coughed as she pulled away from Ruby. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You'll be coming to join me after all."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Weiss~ Weiss~ come join me in death~</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes... of course Ruby... I'm sorry…</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, she was all of a sudden back in that damned cave… standing again...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Weiss stared at her blood soaked hands. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This had to be a dream</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There was no way that she would kill her best friend and partner! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the truth was sadly laying in front of her. </span>
  <span>"N-No Ru-!" Weiss called for her but she couldn't move. </span>
  <span>"I trusted you. How could you do this?" Yang stared at Weiss coldly. </span>
  <span>"Y-Yang... No! This isn't what it looks like!" Weiss shook her head. </span>
  <span>"That's what we get for trusting a Schnee. She'll just betray us in the end." Blake huffed as she crossed her arms. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Blake...?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Weiss couldnt believe her ears. Just when she thought that they were getting along... </span>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> did this to me Weiss... it's only fair that you come join me. I'm gonna be lonely there without you." </span>
  <span>Weiss shook. Ruby's blood was so warm. Everything felt so real. Slowly, she nodded. "Yes... let's go. I deserve it..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Weiss, wake up!!!!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jolting awake again, Weiss releases a crushing sob, beside her Ruby jumps, reaching for crescent rose at her side before another sob rings out. She wraps herself around Weiss, but is greeted with more sobbing and a soft chant "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I deserve it.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby's face twists into a frown, searching to find Weiss' eyes in the darkness as she feels her partner's trembles against her own body, "Deserve what? Weiss... "</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulls the Schnee closer, and Weiss takes the opportunity. She sinks her eyes into the nook of Ruby's neck, her arms wrapped tightly around Ruby again. She was real, this was real, but at this point, she was beginning to regret not turning the blade on herself. Ruby frowned at the lack of a response, resting her head softly on Weiss' back and rubbing it softly, "Hey, whatever happened, it's over. You're safe here with me, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weiss gently nodded as she descended back to sleep. This process continued for weeks, no, months on end, but the tighter Ruby held her delicate snowflake to her body, the safer Weiss felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, Weiss was going to be ok...</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first ever practically solely angst story, albeit a collab. I hope it came out ok. Leave any thoughts on the story and leave a kudos if you feel it deserves.</p><p>I may have another solo oneshot, another one that's angsty, up later tonight, or if not then definitely tomorrow. So, stay tuned on that</p><p>Hope everyone liked!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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